people are talking aout pre-loading the shifter. i shift the same way as i did all my last harleys. the same principle as pre loading but much easier. when you shift as soon as you start moving the clutch start shifting. otherwords not clutch, shift. but clutchshift. with the clutching just barely ahead of the shifting, i can shift my 11 xr just as fast and easy as any harley ive ever ridden like that. now the clunk between on and off throttle?????

Every motorcycle on the planet has a LOUD 1st gear clunk. All of them. Never rode a sinle bike yet that didn't. Some are just more noticeable than others.

My '12 Road Glide shifts as loud as my Vic did, in all gears, just the same.

I wouldn't want a silent shift. Ever screw up and THINK you nailed a gear, only to realize when you release the clutch and gun the throttle that you actually missed it (or Mandes in neutral instead of second gear).

Since I don't want tinnitus later in life, I ride with earplugs in if I'm riding on the highway. I like that I can still easily hear the thunk of every hear change.

As an aside, when I am upshifting, the only time I use my clutch is when I'm going from 1st to 2nd gear. Modern transmissions are built to shift without the clutch, so unless you're preloading the shifter too long/hard before doing a clutchless upshifting, you're not doing it any harm.

Sheesh! Doesn't anyone read the articles in MC magazines about handling and operation? Preloading is simply lifting your toe against the shift lever, but not hard enough to pop it into the next gear. When you pull in the clutch, the lever slips easily into the next gear, up or down. Subscribe to Rider, Motorcycle Consumer News and/or Motorcyclist and read those articles as they come up. Every time I post about preloading, I get HUH?

Wish I could testify to this last forever comment!! My 2007 jackpot with 7000k at the dealer right now because it won't shift into second!! They are talking having to take the whole damn engine out to get to the trans, shifting fork. over $1,000.00 for repair. I'm disgusted with Victory!!! I'm thinking fix the piece of SHIT and sale it!! Very disappointed!!! all I was told is how tough and dependable Victory was!!! can't prove it by me at this point.

Wish I could testify to this last forever comment!! My 2007 jackpot with 7000k at the dealer right now because it won't shift into second!! They are talking having to take the whole damn engine out to get to the trans, shifting fork. over $1,000.00 for repair. I'm disgusted with Victory!!! I'm thinking fix the piece of SHIT and sale it!! Very disappointed!!! all I was told is how tough and dependable Victory was!!! can't prove it by me at this point.

Yeah Vic engineers didn't miss much on design but they did miss the mark not leaving a way to get to the tranny without splitting the case. Even HD figured that out.